Live Game notes Steelers Browns

English: Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game against the Cleveland Browns (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Great start with a pick 6.

When the Steeler D scores it keeps our D fresh.

=PT 7 CL 0

The blocking is not holding up. Greco allows a sack almost as soon as Weeden gets the ball.

Then there is no hole for TRich and he is caught behind the line.

=

Mendenhall fumbles after a hit by Rubin and the D recovers. Young with the recovery.

–

TRich finds his own hole and gets 7.

TRich finds another hole breaks a tackle and gets the 1st

Another thow short of the LTG and the Browns have to kick a FG. How long will the new ownership allow Shurmur to screw up his BILLION dollar investment?

=PT 7 CL 3

Browns forgot how to tackle after the day off

No recognition of the screen pass.

DQ fills the hole and stops Dryer.

Miavia avoids the OG and makes the tackle with Ward helping out to end the drive.

–

TRich is a weapon on the run and the pass. Circle routes to TR will open up the running game.

Weeden is not seeing the field well. He checks down too quickly.

=

Papa: Maybe it is the wind? Nope just bad QBs.

Young bats down the 2nd down pass.

3 and out and the Browns get the ball back—unless they fumble the punt.

–

Cribbs has no vision any longer. He runs directly into the pile.

The reverse goes no where. Big risk very little potential return

3 step drop and the throw again does not go beyond the line to gain.

Not enough booze in the world to make this look better to me.

=

The Steelers want to avoid giving the ball to Batch to throw.

Dwyer has a history of fumbling in college. But he is the only one not to loses one so far. The Browns have the ball on the 10.

–

TRich gets 3 then 2. Third and 5 so Shurmur will call a 2 yard pass and kick the FG.

Weeden finds Cameron and the Browns score…I forget what it is called but it counts 6 points.

That was the first TD in the last 20 Browns possessions.

=CL 10 PT 7

Good to see Haden back. Good thing too because Miava missed the tackle.

Having the two big guys inside helps a lot against the run.

Browns playing too loose a zone and the Steelers get the 1st.

JMJ gets Dwyer at the LOS.

Batch is not even close to the receivers.

–

Browns get great field position at the 42.

Gordon is strong and can break tackles. He is a good target for the bubble screen.

Good vision by TRich seeing the hole and making a jump step to it.

Weeden has no ablility to audible away from a bad play. SHurmur knows best.

GREAT catch by Watson and he gets hit twice the second one hurt.

The Browns O line is not moving the D much. We need to use misdirection to get holes.

Holding Mack. Penalty declined. Dawson O strikes again.

=CL 13 PT 7

After Dwyer’s fumble the Browns have the ball on the 35.

–

Browns lose yardage twice in a row and face a 3rd and 17.

Ball almost gets picked. Browns will punt.

=

Rainey now in at RB

Sanders wide open and gets the ball to the 50. Brown makes some nice plays but then will have a brain cramp and miss a coverage.

Pit moves the ball right down the field to get into FG range.

Then with 7 seconds Brown is called for interference in the endzone. The Browns don’t give up the TD on the first run but Rainey is not wrapped up and rolls off the tackle to score.

-PT 14 CL 13 despite turning the ball over 3 times none of which were Batch’s fault.

HALF

Pit has decided to throw short passes to move the ball because the RBs can’t hold onto it.

Robertson does a great job stopping the screen. Good to see him on the field.

The Browns D does a great job stopping Pit and force a 3 and out.

–

TRich is clearly not healthy. He just doesn’t move like he did before the rib injury.

The O line is beginning to show up. Nice drive on a 7 yard run.

Little cannot block Harrison. What was that blocking scheme?

The Browns are forced to punt AGAIN!

=

Batch just doesn’t jave the arm strength to throw the deep out. He is picked by Brown.

–

The Browns score on a great run by TRich. Lauvao trap blocks the DT and Smith gets the LB to open the hole.

=CL 20 PT 14

Rucker stuffs the double team and stops the RB

Miller gives and he takes away. Gets the 1st over the middle then holds on a run.

Big Taylor gets the sack.

The Rookie G Beachum gets called for holding on his first play replacing RT Adams.

After a short gain Pit punts.

–

Lauvao holding two plays in a row.

Fourth Quarter CL 20 PT 14

=

Pit gets the ball at the Browns 44.

Mendenhall fumbles again but Pit recovers.

Sanders sees his QB in trouble and comes back to bail him out. That is what we miss not having veteran WRs.

Haden tips the ball out of Wallace’s hands and DT Winn grabs it for the pick. I was a big fan of Winn before the draft. It makes a lot of difference having an athletic big guy.

–

Mack gets his 2nd holding of the day and this is why the team will not win.

Greco gets called and this shows a lack of discipline on the O line.

=

Pit 3 and out. Batch can no longer play at this level.

–

15 yard return by Cribbs gives the Browns the ball at the 39.

Weeden slides rather than trying to make a play. Is he turning chicken?

Gordon is hit by two but fights for the 1st.

Weeden on 3rd and 4 gets pounded. He doesn’t trust his pass protection.

=

5:38 Complete to TE. 1ST down

4:29 19 yards to Miller again. How about covering him.

Weeden taken to the locker room. Those that want Colt will get him.

2nd and 19 and the Browns Sheard is called for hands to the face. 1ST down.

3:09 42 YL long pass to Wallace fails to get to him and Haden picks it.

–

Colt takes the ball and a 2 yard pickup by TR.

After 2 runs of 0 total yards and 2 TOs by Pit McCoy will have to throw get the fd.

Richardson runs and Pit will get the ball back with 2:47 left.

The only thing that will save the Browns now with Shurmur being reactive is another Pit TO.

=

Rainey fumbles the ball after a great move to avoid a tackle and Taylor Recovers.

–

Shurmur thinks he is fooling the Steelers by not having a FB in the game. The only thing he is doing is getting his best runner killed.

It is GREAT to have timeouts available. But he doesn’t use them and gets the penalty.

Great punt goes out on the 3.

= 0:20 left

On the final play the Steeler fumble again.

Conclusion:

The last time I saw that much giving it involved a bell and a red kettle.

The Browns were given the game in a black and Gold gift wrapped box. This was not a Browns win it was in the truest sense a Steeler loss.

Shurmur gets no credit from me for anything. He kept the game needlessly close by his Super conservative play calls. The team was 3-10 3rd down coversions.

Shurmur is playing not to lose. That will continue to hold the team down. He did not let Colt throw the ball in his 2 (3 and out) series. But Colt should not feel bad. Shurmur didn’t let Weeden throw much in the second half either.

I wonder if the win over the Steelers will give Shurmur a chance to save his job. I hope not. As I said he would have been dunce of the year if he had not been able to pull out a win with +6 TOs. I have seen very little that indicates he has learned anything from his year and 11 games of losing.

I also wonder how badly Weeden is hurt. We could well see Colt McCoy next week at Oakland.

Shurmur was glowing at his post game press conference like he did something to deserve a win.

What coaching credit there is goes to DC Jauron not HC Shurmur. The team continues to play hard on both sides of the ball. But they are not playing any smarter on O.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels onand a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.